Investigates the role of women workers in the manufacturing sector in general, and its sub-sectors in particular, from 1971 to 1991, especially in the light of technological development, globalization and employment flexibility.

This publication was prepared within the context of the wishes expressed by the Food and Drink Industries Committee of the ILO. In Resolution No. 32 concerning various forms of employment (temporary, casual, part-time, seasonal and contract workers) in the food and drink industries requested...

Chapter 5 examines "Safety and health issues in respect of women workers in the food and drink industries". The paper provides information on the impact of technological progress in the sector; identifies the general hazards encountered; describes the injuries and diseases suffered by workers and...

The relatively infrequent nature of major credit distress events makes a historical approach particularly useful. Using a combination of historical narrative and econometric techniques, we identify major periods of credit distress from 1875 to 2007, examine the extent to which credit distress...

An examination of the dynamics of commitment, showing that because the decision regarding rules versus discretion occurs in real time, opting for discretion is often the better choice, since it leaves open the possibility of adopting rules later on.

Do steep recoveries follow deep recessions? Does it matter if a credit crunch or banking panic accompanies the recession? Moreover, does it matter if the recession is associated with a housing bust? We look at the American historical experience in an attempt to answer these questions. The...

This paper brings historical evidence to bear on the stylized fact that the yield curve predicts future growth. The spread between corporate bonds and commercial paper reliably predicts future growth over the period 1875-1997. This predictability varies over time, however, particularly across...

Considering time inconsistency as a problem of irreversible investment brings some neglected points to the fore. Making a policy choice in real time and under current conditions emphasizes the importance of the timing of commitment, the regret over past decisions, and the option value of not...